Water shortages continue for Polokwane as LNW stops supply from Ebenezer

POLOKWANE – Further water supply challenges are expected in the city and surrounding areas after Lepelle Northern Water (LNW) stopped supply from the Ebenezer plant to the city on Monday. This is due to a leak on the supply line next to the University of Limpopo.

Spokesperson for the Polokwane Municipality, Thipa Selala, says the water utility has estimated the restoration time to three hours. “The municipality will continue to use water tankers to provide relief to residents in affected areas as water shortages continue.”

He further urges residents to exercise patience as water tankers will firstly deliver to all the health facilities then come to the various neighborhoods. “Residents are further urged to liaise with their ward councillors to coordinate delivery of water through tankers.”

Below is the list of ward councillors within the Polokwane Municipal area, as supplied by the Polokwane Municipality website.

Review asked Selala for more information regarding the water tankers and how they run:

When do water tankers get supplied?

Water tankers are provided in the first instance when a normal water provision arrangement is not functional (a provision of water through a piped network/system designed to service a designated area). “The tankers are dispatched as a temporary relief until the system is normalised and functional,” he said. 

Secondly, they are dispatched to provide water to areas that are not fitted with reticulation networks yet, due to extensions to existing serviced areas, new villages/areas in the Tribal Authority system established and people settled before services can be provided.

How long should it take for water tankers to arrive when there are shortages?

Selala says the approach differs from one area to the other.

“In the formal, reticulated areas with waterborne metered systems, relief is activated as soon as a shortage is reported. The biggest consideration for the activation of this relief is to keep the sewers flowing, while residents are still able to perform other household responsibilities with the minimal water delivered using tankers,” he said.

The supply to the rural areas, where the biggest need is, is scheduled on a roster and water gets supplied on a rotational basis, mostly once a week. “Any new area of shortage that gets reported is put on the roster and its delivery date is then communicated with the ward councillor and ward committee members.”

Residents are advised to report all burst pipes, leaking water meters and open hydrants to municipal water and sanitation helpline at 015 023 5376 / 015 023 5629.